How do a buyer’s political ties affect the market-based selection of suppliers?

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1270-1280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zebin Yan ◽  
Jiangyong Lu
Keyword(s):  
Social Control ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Governance Structure ◽  
Technological Uncertainty ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Hybrid Governance ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Business Ties ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose Although the differential roles of political and business ties are recognized in the literature, the interplay between political and business ties remains unclear. This study aims to explore how political ties affect the formation of business ties with unfamiliar partners by analyzing how a buyer’s political ties affect the market-based selection of suppliers, an important channel through which the buyer forms business ties with unfamiliar suppliers. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 204 Chinese manufacturing firms was conducted to elucidate the relationship between political ties and the market-based selection of suppliers. Findings The findings suggest that buyers with strong political ties are more likely to engage in the market-based selection of suppliers; this positive relationship is diminished when social control is preferred over contractual control in the buyer’s supplier governance and is enhanced when technological uncertainty is high. Originality/value First, this study sheds light on the interplay between political and business ties by revealing how the buyer’s political ties affect the formation of business ties with unfamiliar suppliers, as represented by the market-based selection of suppliers. Second, it uncovers the boundary conditions of the effect of political ties by revealing the moderating effect of social control preference and technological uncertainty. Third, it extends the interorganizational governance structure literature from its focus on the complement-substitute debate on social control and contractual control to examine the contingent effect of a hybrid governance structure.

Ties, status, and internationalization of Chinese private firms

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhu Zhang ◽  
Jiaqi Xue ◽  
Baoxin Qi
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Private Firms ◽  
High Status ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Network Status ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Business Ties

Purpose This study aims to investigate the role of network in affecting private firms’ internationalization decision. Specifically, it investigates the way that business ties, political ties and status influence an internationalization decision. Design/methodology/approach On the basis of the survey data collected from Chinese private firms, this study distinguishes business ties from political ties and introduces network status. Binary logistic regression is used to test the hypotheses. Findings Results show that private firms that have business ties are more likely to internationalize, whereas private firms that have political ties are less likely to internationalize. High-status private firms are more likely to internationalize. Political ties negatively moderate the relationship between business ties and internationalization. High-status firms with political ties are more likely to internationalize. Originality/value This study provides theoretical and practical contributions. Results complement previous research on social networks in the context of Chinese private firms and have implications for managers who exert effort to internationalize their firms.

Network activities as critical sources of creating capability and competitive advantage

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 544-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chih-Hsing Liu ◽  
Angela Ya-Ping Chang ◽  
Yen-Po Fang
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Innovation Capability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Business Ties

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a new integrated model that combines the concepts of network ties (e.g. political ties and business ties), the organization of internal critical attributes (such as social capital, human capital and innovation capability) and analyses of how those critical attributes influence organization performance and competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach A structural equation model and three-way interactions in moderated multiple regressions was used to test the hypotheses on a sample of 621 cultural and creative industry (CCI) managers in Taiwan. Findings The results indicate that human capital mediates the relationship between social capital and innovation capability. Furthermore, innovation capability also plays a mediating role in connecting the relationships between human capital, competitive advantage and organizational performance. The findings indicate that business ties strengthen the relationship between social and human capital. The level of human capital is at its peak when social capital, business ties, and political ties considerably interact with one another. Research limitations/implications The present study conceptualized the topic and systematized the questionnaire design and data collection, statistical analysis, and report writing. This study performs a systematic analysis to present the research but does not employ in-depth qualitative interviews to analyse the essential attributes of the different entrepreneurial styles. In-depth interviews enable the interviewees to completely depict their feelings, experiences, motivations, emotions and attitudes. Thus, this method can provide an in-depth analysis. Studies can be conducted to analyse the complexity of the processes involved. Practical implications This study determines and emphasizes that networking with various factors to create innovation is the key to enhancing competitive advantage and organizational performance. Innovation is a unique characteristic and a basic kinetic energy that affects various strategic organizational behaviours that positively influence competitive advantage and facilitate organizational performance. Hence, CCI firms need to consider market orientation and innovation in this highly competitive environment. Originality/value To the best of the knowledge, how CCI firms use networking sources to create competitive advantage and organizational performance, thereby promoting the development of the CCIs of Taiwan, has not been analysed in the tourism-related literature. Thus, the present study provides a significant contribution to the human capital literature, in which empirical research analyses the three-way interaction and demonstrates the empirical insights that may be used to study human capital. The findings reported in this study will encourage future researchers to employ multilevel human capital perspectives.

RunayaySoft

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-131
Author(s):  
Juan Camilo González Vargas ◽  
Angela Carrillo-Ramos ◽  
Ramon Fabregat ◽  
Lizzeth Camargo ◽  
Maria Caridad García Cepero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Learning Styles ◽  
Multiple Intelligences ◽  
Learning Style ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Functional Prototype ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Disciplinary Area ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe a support system to the selection of enrichment activities in educational environment called RunayaySoft, where Runayay comes from the word Quechua that means develop and Soft as it is an informatics tool that supports the educational institutions and their students, in the selection of activities that allow foster some of their skills based on their interests, learning styles, aptitudes, multiple intelligences, preferences and so on. Moreover, it suggests institutions about the activities that they should make in their building considering student´s characteristics and the agreements that they have. Design/methodology/approach It does a diagnostic for identifying which characteristics are going to be considered to students and institutions. Then, it generates adaptive profiles with the aim of generating suggestions of enrichment activities that allow to boost some of their skills. For the students were considered their preferences, learning style, aptitude, multiple intelligences and interests. In the case of institutions were the agreements, resources and activities that they develop. Based on this information, it defines the relations for the generation of suggestions of activities toward students, where it does the prioritization of which activities should be considered. Findings For validating the system, it was done as a functional prototype that generates suggestions to students, as well as educative institutions, through a satisfaction test student assess if they agree or disagree with the suggestions given. With that assessment, it is validated the relationship between student’s characteristics, activity and institution are related for generating activities suggestions. Research limitations/implications RunayaySoft generates adaptive profiles for the students, activity and institution. Each profile has information that allows adapt an advice toward students and institutions. Social implications RunayaySoft considers student’s characteristics, activities and educational institutions for generating suggestions for enrichment activities that allow to boost some of their skills. Many times, when activities are generated in educative institutions, they are not considered a learner’s needs and characteristics. For that reason, the system helps institutions to identify activities that should be done in their facilities or with those institutions which they have agreements when the institutions that students come from do not have the required resources. Originality/value RunayaySoft suggests enrichment activities to students as well as educative institutions. For students, it suggests disciplinary areas where they can boost their skills; for each disciplinary area are recommended activities based on their preferences. Once students select the disciplinary area and activities, the system suggests educative institutions activities that they can do. If the institutions do not have the necessary facilities, the system shows with which other institutions they can set agreements. Moreover, it supports educative institutions to identify enrichment clusters, where it clusters students based on similar interest, allowing institutions to identify the activities that they should focus on.

scholarly journals Exploring the relationship between leadership and followership of Chinese project managers

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 616-647
Author(s):  
Haoran Li ◽  
Zhenzhi Zhao ◽  
Ralf Müller ◽  
Jingting Shao
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leaders And Followers ◽  
Predicting Behavior ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Nation Wide Survey ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose Followership is the free will recognition of leadership in the commitment toward realization of the collectively adopted organization vision and culture. The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationship between project managers’ leadership and their followership. Most project managers are both leaders and followers at the same time, but research typically investigates only their leadership. This ignores followership as an important aspect in understanding and predicting behavior, and further in the selection of project managers. Design/methodology/approach The method used for this paper is the explanatory in nature and a deductive approach, within which the above research hypothesis is tested through quantitative techniques. Data are collected through a nation-wide survey in China. Data analysis was done through factor analysis, canonical correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. Findings The results show that transformational leadership is positively correlated with transformational followership and transactional followership, and that transactional leadership is negatively correlated with transactional followership. Research limitations/implications The paper supports a deeper investigation into leadership and followership theories. A model for both leadership and followership is developed. The findings from this paper will guide organizations to choose the project managers. Originality/value The originality lies in the new way to examine the relationship between leadership and followership. It is the first study on the relationship of project managers. Its value is new insights, which introduced a new perspective to understand leadership and followership.

Critical insights from the corporate environmentalism – competitiveness investigations

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Kudłak
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Statistical Design ◽  
Critical Examination ◽  
Conceptual Frameworks ◽  
Corporate Environmentalism ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Novel Studies ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to critically discuss the existing empirical findings of the corporate environmentalism-competitiveness investigations as well as their methodological and cognitive shortcomings. Design/methodology/approach – An examination of the literature was conducted to identify the most seminal and novel studies exploring the relationship between corporate environmentalism and competitiveness. A range of works were selected and their conceptual frameworks, variables and statistical design were obtained and analysed. Findings – Although existing studies tend to suggest that corporate environmentalism have a positive (or at least neutral) impact on competitiveness, more detailed and critical examination of these studies shows important methodological, cognitive and logical shortcomings, which challenge these findings. Research limitations/implications – It is not an exhaustive review of all the existing studies, but rather a selection of the most seminal studies which represent different approaches and methodologies applied as well as a variety of empirical findings. Practical implications – The study challenges the existing empirical findings arguing that corporate environmentalism positively affects a company's competitiveness. The present paper claims that the ultimate conclusion on the relationship can be determined after at least some of the most significant shortcomings are solved. Originality/value – The study is based on a broad investigation of existing studies, out of which the most seminal and original papers were selected. In addition, the paper offers suggestions for the future empirical investigations.

Is academic spin-off financing a matter of business and growth models? The Spanish case

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofía Louise Martínez-Martínez ◽  
Rafael Ventura ◽  
Ana José Cisneros Ruiz ◽  
Julio Diéguez-Soto
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Growth Models ◽  
Investment Decisions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Junctures ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Selection Of

PurposeThis study investigates the relationship between the development of academic spin-offs (ASOs) and the type of financing involved, by considering three research questions: How do ASOs differ in terms of financing? To what extent and for what reasons do ASOs differ in their financing? How do business and growth models dictate the selection of different sorts of financing arrangement?Design/methodology/approachThe study employs a grounded-theory, qualitative approach based on 39 Spanish ASOs.FindingsThere is a heterogeneity of ASO financing, and the selection of financial resources is related to the business and growth model of the ASO. Furthermore, there are some critical junctures for financing within each group of ASOs.Research limitations/implicationsThe study advances the understanding of the determinants of ASOs, specifically with respect to financing, business models and growth orientation. The Spanish context used here may not permit the global generalisation of the results; nevertheless, this study is a response to calls to consider the effect of regional context on ASOs.Practical implicationsKnowing the heterogeneity of ASOs in terms of financing and how business and growth models determines the selection of distinct financing sources help financial planning, investment decisions and the design of programmes and policies, which can be relevant for both ASOs and their stakeholders (investors, universities and governments).Originality/valueThis study provides a comprehensive view of ASO financing, confirming a heterogeneity, not only in terms of financing but also in some critical junctures that presage a change from one type of financing to another.

The effect of political and business ties on firm performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 778-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parinaz Sami ◽  
Farajollah Rahnavard ◽  
Alireza Alavi Tabar
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Product Innovation ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Ties ◽  
Managerial Ties ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Business Ties

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the mediator role of product innovation in the relationship between political and business ties (independent variables) and firm performance (dependent variable). Design/methodology/approach In this study, research hypotheses were tested using the structural equation modeling method. Findings The findings from 267 manufacturing companies in Iran show that business ties have an effect on firm performance through product innovation, while the role of innovation is not proved as a mediating variable in the relationships between political ties and firm performance. In addition, business ties have an effect on product innovation and firm performance, whereas political ties have no such effect. Practical implications These results provide useful points for developing economies, theoretically and practically. Originality/value Despite the increasing attention to the role of managerial ties (political and business ties) in improving product innovation and firm performance, there is no study conducted on the mediating role of product innovation in the relationship between managerial ties and firm performance.

Does knowing overcome wanting? The impact of consumer knowledge and materialism upon credit card selection with young consumers

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakob Cakarnis ◽  
Steve Peter D'Alessandro
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Study ◽  
Survey Research ◽  
Credit Card ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Credit Cards ◽  
Consumer Knowledge ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Young Professionals ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose – This paper investigates the determinants of credit card use and misuse by student and young professionals. Critical to the research is the impact of materialism and knowledge on selection of the appropriate credit card. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses survey research and partial least squares to investigate credit card behaviors of students versus young professionals. Findings – In a comparative study of young professionals and students, it was found that consumer knowledge, as expected, leads to better consumer selection of credit cards. Materialism was also found to increase the motivation for more optimal consumer outcomes. For more experienced consumers, such as young professionals, it was found that despite them being more knowledgeable, they were more likely to select a credit card based on impulse. Originality/value – This paper examines how materialism may in fact encourage some consumers to make better decisions because they are more motivated to develop better knowledge. It also shows how better credit card selection may inhibit impulse purchasing.

Perceptions of time at work

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aristides Isidoro Ferreira ◽  
Joana Diniz Esteves
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Phone Calls ◽  
Working Day ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – Activities such as making personal phone calls, surfing on the internet, booking personal appointments or chatting with colleagues may or may not deviate attentions from work. With this in mind, the purpose of this paper is to examine gender differences and motivations behind personal activities employees do at work, as well as individuals’ perception of the time they spend doing these activities. Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained from 35 individuals (M age=37.06 years; SD=7.80) from a Portuguese information technology company through an ethnographic method including a five-day non-participant direct observation (n=175 observations) and a questionnaire with open-ended questions. Findings – Results revealed that during a five-working-day period of eight hours per day, individuals spent around 58 minutes doing personal activities. During this time, individuals engaged mainly in socializing through conversation, internet use, smoking and taking coffee breaks. Results revealed that employees did not perceive the time they spent on non-work realted activities accurately, as the values of these perceptions were lower than the actual time. Moreover, through HLM, the findings showed that the time spent on conversation and internet use was moderated by the relationship between gender and the leisure vs home-related motivations associated with each personal activity developed at work. Originality/value – This study contributes to the literature on human resource management because it reveals how employees often perceive the time they spend on non-work related activities performed at work inaccurately. This study highlights the importance of including individual motivations when studying gender differences and personal activities performed at work. The current research discusses implications for practitioners and outlines suggestions for future studies.

Learning from intelligent conversation

IMP Journal ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 512-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luitzen De Boer ◽  
Poul Houman Andersen
Keyword(s):  
System Theory ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Narrative Literature ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Conceptual Research

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to contribute to further advancing of IMP as a research field by setting up and starting a theoretical conversation between system theory and the IMP. Design/methodology/approach The approach is based on a narrative literature study and conceptual research. Findings The authors find that system theory and cybernetics can be regarded as important sources of inspiration for early IMP research. The authors identify three specific theoretical “puzzles” in system theory that may serve as useful topics for discussion between system theorists and IMP researchers. Originality/value Only a handful of papers have touched upon the relationship between system theory and IMP before. This paper combines a narrative, historical analysis of this relationship with developing specific suggestions for using system theory as a vehicle for further advancement of IMP research.

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